Amateurs Make History as They Capture Rare Double in AIG Senior Cups After 46 Years

Golf in Ireland just witnessed a moment destined for the history books. The AIG Seniors Cup, known for its prestigious inter-club competition platform, turned into a fierce battlefield as Douglas set forth a rare feat. “They’ve created probably one of the greatest, if not the greatest day in the history of the club,” Douglas captain Don Coughlan said. That rare feat? A historic double win on both the Men’s and Women’s Senior Cup, the first in 46 years since Royal Portrush in 1979. So, how did this historic double come to life?

Two 17-year-olds brought this unique title to the club in their home soil. Claudia O’Donoghue sealed the winning putt for the women’s team while Barry O’Connell sank the essential winning putt for the men’s, both on the 18th green. However, the win was truly a team effort, and all the amateurs brought forward the fire and grit for the event. Even though by the end of the day, Douglas was clearly dominating, it didn’t look that way when the finals started on August 31.

“We were dead and buried, six, seven holes ago,” said Coughlan. “We just kept saying, pick a hole, pick a hole, stay in the game and somehow those guys turned it around.” The men’s side embodied that rallying cry, turning a bleak outlook into a historic first Senior Cup for the club. Peter O’Keeffe edged out his opponent on the 19th hole, while Gary Collins (3&2) and Mark Shanahan (4&3) delivered crucial points. Jack Murphy carried that momentum forward with a 2&1 before Barry O’Connell sank the winning putt for the team, bringing home the men’s title.

The women’s team headed into the Sunday round with bigger stakes. The reigning champion from last year, they weren’t ready to drop the crown any time soon. And their spectacular show of grit and technical mastery turned this defining moment into back-to-back victories. “Those girls were amazing,” said Douglas Women’s Captain Kate MacCann. “We were not looking good all the way and Claudia was just always going to do it, she was amazing. All the girls have been incredible, every single one of them have contributed. We wouldn’t be here but for all of them.” 

However, the victory remained a cliffhanger until the very last moment. Matched against Lahinch, Áine Donegan‘s 8&7 and Chloe Ryan‘s 2up in the final kept them well in the fight. However, the Douglas ladies stepped up, Shannon Burke maintaining her perfect record with a dominant 5&4 victory. Karen O’Neill secured another crucial point with a 4&3 win. With the tie finely balanced, 17-year-old Claudia O’Donoghue stepped up under pressure and delivered a 1-up victory. Praising O’Donoghue, Kate MacCann said, “She’s just turned 17, she’s fearless and she was loving it.”

The rare double was more than a milestone. It was a statement. Douglas proved that history is made when the team turns individual grit into collective glory. But most of all, it was a moment of pride. “We have an amazing team, an amazing club, we’re just so proud right now.”

Douglas set more than one record at the AIG Senior Cups

For team Douglas, the victories weighed more than a historic landmark. It was a resilient comeback in motion. For the men, it was a moment over a century in the making. “116 years since Douglas was formed and our first Senior Cup and the double with the ladies, an incredible double,” said captain Don Coughlan, reflecting on the scale of the breakthrough. The team fought tense battles despite a history that didn’t back them. The amateurs stormed through the semi-finals over County Louth. Stepping into motion at the finals, the pressure was insurmountable. But so were the hopes. And in a tense back-and-forth, the club secured its first Men’s title.

The women, meanwhile, wrote their own piece of history by defending their crown. The reigning champions, Douglas, won another AIG Women’s Senior Cup, their first time going back-to-back since 1987. Praising the gem in her team, McCann noted, “Shannon leads from the front, and she is such an inspiration to all the others. She’s going to win, so you know you have that one in the bag.” 

Douglas didn’t just set a record. They rewrote the club’s history and set a new benchmark for what belief, resilience, and team spirit can achieve.